Photographs of Oman 2009

In December 2008 my wife, Carolyn, and I went to the Sultanate of Oman, at the head of the Persian Gulf, for three weeks. We were guests of an Omani family, and traveled throughout the country, guided by one family member or another in each of the areas we visited.

The scenery and landscape were overwhelming, as you will see in the photographs below; the people, especially everyone in the family who were our hosts, were unfailingly friendly and generous, and the country itself was vital and modern, an absolutely fascinating place to visit.

I have tried to present Oman and its people in their own terms rather than through the distorting glass of western tastes and preconceptions. In order to make these photographs I had to learn to see Oman with Omani eyes, which I am slowly learning to do. There is much of great beauty in Oman, but it has a particular visual integrity, which is very ancient, and not readily open to compromise.

I present this gallery as a profound thank you to our friends in Oman and as an invitation to discovery for everyone else.